Mara

The story

Mara, Waterford: Modern Irish Cuisine with Spanish Soul – Michelin Recommended

From Santander to O'Connell Street

Chef Luis Martin, born in Santander, Spain, trained at the three-Michelin-starred Cenador de Amós before moving to Ireland. In 2023, he took over The Old Couch Café on Waterford's O'Connell Street, reimagining it as a six-table tasting-menu venue. A year later, it was reborn as Mara.

Cooking with Purpose

Mara's cooking is modern Irish with a clear Spanish accent. Martin works largely alone in the kitchen, producing dishes that balance local and foraged produce with the bold flavours of his homeland. The Michelin Guide, which recommends Mara, notes his "well-balanced cooking" and highlights signature dishes like cod buñuelo, ajo blanco, and the now-famous cep tiramisu.

The menu changes with the seasons. A la carte options include octopus with potato foam, Mara's croquetas, cod pilpil with clams, and Iberico pork presa with dashi and chimichurri. The 11-course tasting menu, at €100 per person, is the fullest expression of Martin's ambition, weaving through a "Savoury World" and "Sweet World" that might include langoustine raviolo, miso cod with dashi custard, and a chocolate anarkia.

A Place of Its Own

The room is cosy and well-lit, with just six tables. It retains the quirky vibe of its predecessor, but the cooking is serious and personal. Martin's partnership with Barefoot Farm in Dunhill ensures vegetables are sourced from just outside the city. The restaurant also offers hands-on cooking classes—from butchery to baking—where guests can learn the techniques behind the food.

In March 2025, Martin was named Best Chef for Waterford at the Munster Regional Irish Restaurant Awards, a recognition that matches the quiet confidence of his cooking. Mara is a small restaurant with a clear sense of place, offering modern Irish cuisine that feels both rooted and surprising.